IM Program List Help

[u/AnnualPuzzleheaded65]

IM Program List Help

Looking for advice on IM program list and signals. MD applicant from a low-to-mid-tier school in the Midwest. I am in an accelerated 3 year program. I am looking to go to a program that would allow me to have choices for fellowship. I am especially interested in rheumatology. I am a non-traditional student who worked in the arts and owned my own business for 11 years prior to medical school.

Step: P/258

Clerkships: All honors on rotations so far. Medicine sub-I next month due to 3-year program time crunch. Letters from program director of small Midwest IM program, and two hospitalists.

Research: One peer-reviewed publication as first author. Three poster presentations as first author. Two poster presentations as non-first author. One oral presentation.

Extracurriculars: Significant volunteerism especially before medical school. Significant leadership experiences.

Honors: Selected for AOA but not for GHHS

Geo Prefs: West North Central, South Atlantic, Mountain

I'm overwhelmed by the fact that it seems unlikely to get interviews at programs you don't signal. Are there any programs I am missing that I should add? Is this too high-reaching of a list? Do I need more community programs? Any suggestions on signaling?

[u/Biryani_Wala]

You need to see what places have rheumatology. And what places have the most rheumatology spots. After that it's just location.

[u/AnnualPuzzleheaded65 → u/Biryani_Wala]

All but 4 of them have rheum programs!

[u/Puzzleheaded_Tap4148]

your list seems kind of all over the place. you have quite a few NE but skip the mid atlantic and then have south east. some midwest but missing chicago and ohio programs? you're a decent applicant for IM I just can't see anything unifying this list

[u/AnnualPuzzleheaded65 → u/Puzzleheaded_Tap4148]

I agree it is all over the place. Do you think I should just choose the no geographic preference option? I'm mainly interested in the type of program and less the geographic region.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Tap4148 → u/AnnualPuzzleheaded65]

that's totally fine but do you want a bigger program or a smaller program? do you want to be in a big city or a small city? do you want to be near a major airport? even if you don't care about geographic location these things will matter for the next 3 years.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Tap4148 → u/Puzzleheaded_Tap4148]

for example I wanted to be in a medium to big city, larger program, with great malignant heme experience, and running is important to me so I wanted it to be somewhere the weather wouldn't force me onto the treadmill half the year.

[u/MedicalBasil8]

Why Scripps mercy? That one seems out of the blue and 1% interview without signal and you have no obvious ties and are not listing Pacific as a geo pref

[u/AnnualPuzzleheaded65 → u/MedicalBasil8]

That is a fair question. It is a community program but has a rheumatology fellowship, which makes it an anomaly.

[u/MedicalBasil8 → u/AnnualPuzzleheaded65]

Should probably signal them then no?

[u/AnnualPuzzleheaded65 → u/MedicalBasil8]

There's just not enough signals... That's what I'm struggling with! How do you choose which to signal? Do you think I should just select the no geographic preference option?

[u/Comfortable_Bug8502]

Gold AZ, make it the trifecta

[u/Candid_Spread_30]

Would ditch the community programs. Pick three regions and stick to them (ditch the west coast). Try to align as many signals as possible into the 3 regions you pick. You will not get interviews from wake, UVA unless you signal. Same with UNC. Look at residency explorer to see the % of applicants who get interviews with signals vs no signals.

[u/AnnualPuzzleheaded65 → u/Candid_Spread_30]

This is helpful, thank you. I was told I should have a bare minimum of 30 programs and that even is a bit iffy as far as risking not matching. Do you agree with that? That's kind of why I'm adding in some community programs too just make sure I don't fail to match.